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“What are you talking about, Maxine? My uncle deserted me and so have you. There’s nothing left.”
“This all started because you didn’t want that bill to pass. Isn’t that true?”
“Yes! It was all I ever wanted. It—”
“I will lobby the government. I will start a campaign. I will do whatever it takes to bring awareness to your cause. But Ed, we have to do this the right way. I agree with your beliefs. I agree the bill is wrong, but this isn’t the way to get it retracted. Hurting the governor won’t help your cause.”
“I was desperate,” Chapman sobbed, his head in his hands. “No one was listening to me. I thought…” He raised his head toward the ceiling and wiped his eyes. “I thought I would make them listen. But now…”
Chapman stood in front of the governor whose eyes were open, if unfocused. She tossed her head from side to side.
“Is that the governor I hear?” Maxine asked.
“Yeah. She’s waking up now.”
“Untie her and let her go.”
“I can’t do that,” he said, watching the governor as she struggled against her ties.
“Yes, you can, Ed. Let’s do it together. I’m right here.”
Ed’s sobbing intensified and the gnawing in my stomach grew louder. I knew something was about to happen. I knew it in my bones. We both raised our heads to watch clearly through the window and my biggest fear played out in front of me.
Ed raised his gun and pointed it at the governor’s head.
With no time to lose, I broke through the glass with the butt of my gun. I pushed Will down to the ground with me, anticipating Chapman shooting at the noise. Once the shooting stopped, I jumped up and through the window. Tucking and rolling once, I sprang into position, one knee on the ground, my gun pointing at Chapman. Then, I fired.
A shot to the leg and Chapman fell to the ground, clutching his thigh as blood seeped through his fingers. I ignored his cries and ran toward him, kicking his gun out of the way and restraining him while Will untied the governor.
“Oh god, oh god,” she cried.
Will and I made quick work of using her ropes to tie Chapman and left him lying on the ground.
He stopped struggling and a loud, guttural sob racked through his chest. The emotional outcry pierced through my anger, and for a second, I felt sorry for the guy.
But then I turned and saw Nikole’s mother shivering in her chair and I lost all sympathy.
I gathered her in my arms, pressing her trembling body into my chest.
“Jager, we’re coming out,” Will said, holding his earpiece. “Tell them not to shoot. Chapman is down and Jake has the governor in his arms.”
After a few seconds, he responded. “Police are standing down,” Jager confirmed. “You’re clear to exit.”
After receiving confirmation, I kicked open the garage door with my boot and carried the governor out.
24
Nikole
Maxine pleaded with Ed on the phone to come out, but he refused. My heart pounded against my chest. I was worried about my mother and Jake, too.
Maxine turned to the police officer standing next to her. “He ended the call,” she said. My heart sank. If Maxine couldn’t talk reason into Ed, no one could.
Crash!
I flinched at the screeching noise.
Glass shattered in the distance and then two gunshots rang out. Maxine screamed next to me while the officers grabbed my arms and pulled me away. “Get back, get back.”
